Better Late Than Never
by lilynicole1313
Summary: When the love of Sam's life leaves him in the middle of the night, it takes him a while to recover. But when he goes to find her and make things right, she's kidnapped by a mysterious man, leading the Winchesters on a race against the clock. Along the way, Sam discovers things about her he never knew and comes to find himself, as well. Established Sam/OC. AU R&R please :)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: February 14, 2010**

_Sam,_

_ These past two years travelling with you and Dean have been amazing and fun, but I have to leave. I love you with everything I have, but our fight is the reason hunters and witches don't get involved with each other. So, I'm stopping this before either of us gets hurt. You're an amazing man and I know there's an equally amazing woman out there for you. Be safe, Sammy. _

_Love,_

_Zoey_

He woke up on Valentine's Day, mind reeling with ways to propose to her, with the diamond ring in his bag; he wasn't worried about the weird absence of memories from the previous night. When he rolled over, the first thing he saw was the note on her side of the bed. Sam's heart stopped as he read it, his eyes finding the few damp circles where her tears landed on the paper. He bolted out of bed and ran to the door, yanking it open. Sure enough, her emerald green Corvette was gone. "Zoey!" He yelled, panicking. She couldn't be gone.

Dean emerged from his hotel room next door sleepily. "Dude, keep it dow-where's Z?"

Sam sank down in the doorway, pulling his knees to his chest, and didn't bother to attempt to block the tears. This was supposed to be a vacation. "What happened?" Dean asked quietly, sitting beside his brother.

"S-she's gone." The realization of that simple statement hit him as the words left his mouth. The one who helped him and Dean through their issues, helped heal his heart, cured his demon blood addiction, was gone. And he had no idea why.

"Yeah, I see that." Dean said impatiently. "What happened?"

"I don't know, man." Sam thought hard, trying to come up with something. "I don't remember anything after walking to the bar with you until I woke up this morning."

"Great. The last time you blacked out, you were freaking possessed and tried to kill me and Jo." Dean groaned. "_Christo_." He muttered under his breath, but Sam just stared ahead.

"Yeah, I know." He finally stood up. "Can we just go back to the bunker?"

Dean had never seen his brother so defeated looking. "Yeah, sure."

They packed and Sam joined Dean in the Impala, his phone in his hands. The long drive from Florida back to Lebanon, Kansas was silent except for Dean's music blaring. Dean didn't know what he could say to cheer Sam up and Sam didn't know how to find out what happened the previous night. When they walked in, it was to find the teenage prophet, Kevin, watching Lord of the Rings while John cooked dinner. Sam, wanting to avoid the talk with his dad, disappeared through the hallway to his room. Dean sighed, throwing his bag on the floor and sitting beside the prophet. "You two are back early."

"Yeah, well, didn't go too well." Dean remarked. Kevin kept looking toward the door, obviously expecting the red-haired witch to walk through. "She's gone."

"Why?" Kevin gasped.

Dean shrugged, picking his bag off the floor and taking it to his room. "We're back, Dad."

"Good timing. Food's almost ready." John took some rolls out of the oven. "Mind setting the table?"

While Dean helped his dad, Sam was trying to get Zoey to answer her phone. "Zoey, please, just talk to me. Please. I love you." He mumbled, hanging up for the fourth time.

"Guys, supper's ready!" John boomed, getting Sam's attention.

Sam threw his phone across the floor and trudged to the table. He wasn't hungry; he was heartbroken and nothing, save Zoey coming back to him, could fix that. Sam stared at his steak and mashed potatoes, willing himself to eat, hoping to avoid questions from John. "Where's Zoey?" John asked curiously. "You didn't leave her down in Florida, did you?" He chuckled at his joke.

"Not exactly." Dean answered for Sam.

"She left us." Sam spoke softly, fighting back the tears. "I'm not hungry, but thanks for supper, Dad."

He got up from the table and walked out, driving to the closest bar. Drinking away problems was usually Dean's thing, but Sam just wanted to numb the pain.

Back at the bunker, John cleared his throat. "Why'd she leave?"

"No idea. They left the bar before me, but-" Dean paused. "Something was off with Sam and when she left this morning, he said he didn't remember anything after going to the bar. He's not possessed; I checked."

"Why did you let him leave then?"

Dean looked down at his plate. "I was hitting on this chick pretty hard."

"Dean, he's your brother. You're supposed to keep an eye on him."

"I'm sorry, Dad. I just thought he was nervous because he was planning on proposing to her by the beach."

"If he's not back tomorrow morning, you go find him." John finally said.

"Yes sir."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

When Zoey finally pulled into the driveway of her stately Victorian house, she managed to make it to the sofa in the den before she broke down. She felt as if her world had crumbled and there was nothing she could do to fix it. "Zoey?" Her younger brother's voice filtered through her ears. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the den, Connor." She said, trying to keep her voice steady.

He walked slowly through the doorway and she got up, leading him to the sofa. "You've been crying." Though his clear blue eyes were blind, he had an eerie ability to read people. "What's wrong?"

"How'd you know I was back?" She changed the subject.

Connor's mouth twitched; he knew what she was doing. "I heard your car. And, since I don't hear Sam, you two broke up."

"I broke it off." She admitted.

"Zoey Bloodworth, why would you do such a thing to that poor hunter?"

"We got into this awful fight and he said some things. It made me realize why we avoid relationships with them."

Connor sighed, giving her a hug. "That doesn't sound like him. He was head over heels in love with you."

"Maybe he decided he wasn't, okay?" She snapped. "Look, I know where you're going with that, and he wasn't possessed. I'd have known."

"Okay, then. I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."

She got to her feet. "I'm going to the store and check inventory."

The apothecary her mom left to her was Zoey's first love and the only one who hadn't let her down. She knew that going there for a while would drown her sorrows better than drinking herself to sleep. While she'd been hunting with the Winchesters, she left the store in the capable hands of her best friend, Nicole, and her brother. When she unlocked the door, the familiar smell of vanilla and leather reached her nose and instantly calmed her down. Zoey took out a notebook and began to write down the potions she was low on and how many she needed, as well as the amulets and other things she offered at her little shop. She paused at the black leather protection amulet she'd sold to Sam the first time they ever met.

_Sam Winchester placed the leather amulet on the counter, trying to avoid staring at her. She smiled sweetly, her heart racing as she looked into his sparkling hazel eyes. "This all for you?"_

"_I think so." He said, digging around in his wallet for the cash. "These work, right?"_

"_If it doesn't, you'll probably be dead." She quipped, laughing at the look he gave her. "I'm just assuming you're going against something powerful or you wouldn't feel the need to buy a protection amulet."_

"_Yeah, something like that." He chuckled. "Thanks."_

_He turned to walk away but Zoey called after him. "You forgot something, sir!"_

"_What?" He asked, puzzled._

"_You forgot my number." She handed it to him. "My name's Zoey."_

"_Sam." He said, blushing slightly. "Sam Winchester."_

"_Have a great day, Sam! Come back again."_

_He turned around, halfway out the door. "You know, I think I will."_

She wiped a tear away and proceeded with the inventory check. In the storage room, she found new bottles for every potion she needed, so she set them out on the shelves before calling it a night.

Connor was sleeping when she got back. Changing into her pajamas, she popped open a bottle of Captain Morgan and drank, eyeing her phone. It rang four times; each call was from Sam, but she ignored it. Slowly, her eyelids began to droop and she fell into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning, she woke, drenched in sweat. Apparently, her nightmares had come back. She groaned, shaking her head to clear it. "Come on. You're Alexander Bloodworth's daughter. Quit moping around because of a stupid mortal and do something productive." She gave herself an early morning pep talk.

"Am I going to have to take you to the asylum?" Connor teased, a cup of coffee in his hands.

"No." She yawned. "Sorry for snapping at you yesterday."

"It's fine." He held the cup out toward her. "Thought you could use this."

"Thanks." Zoey took a long sip. "Go get dressed while I get breakfast underway. Then, we'll go to the store."

Connor nodded, walking carefully up the stairs. Zoey changed into her normal work attire, a black tulle skirt and a white t-shirt with green Converse. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, finally deciding against any makeup.

Thirty minutes later, she sat behind the counter, waiting on her first customer. Connor had slipped to the antique store a couple doors down to hit on the owner's daughter. She sighed, thinking wistfully of the days she and Sam would send meaningless texts to each other throughout the day. Suddenly, she remembered Sam's behavior right after he came back from the bathroom at the bar was different. It was almost like he was soulless again, so why did she write that off? "God, I'm stupid." She quickly typed in the name of the bar in Miami, Florida, where they'd been, in the search engine and began to look for anything odd going on down there.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: July 13, 2011**

Sam woke, drenched in sweat. He stumbled down the hall to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face. Every night for the past week, it was the same dream. Zoey was in danger, but was it real? He couldn't tell anymore. As he walked back to his bedroom, he heard whistling coming from the kitchen, in a tune that sounded vaguely like 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica. He frowned, going to investigate and, sure enough, Dean was mixing batter up and rocking his hips back and forth to the beat of the song in his head. "Pancakes?" Sam asked hopefully, his mouth remembering the sweet taste of Zoey's homemade pancakes.

Dean nodded, not turning around, although he did grow still. "You're up early."

"Can't sleep." Sam answered evasively, pouring himself a mug of coffee. He downed it, not bothering to add sugar this morning.

"Nightmare again?"

"Same one." He sighed, jumping when his phone rang. For a brief second, he thought it was Zoey calling him, but he didn't recognize the number. "Sam."

"Oh, thank god. I was hoping Nicole typed in the right number." A male voice, strangely familiar to him, replied. "Look, you gotta come to Salem ASAP, Sam."

It finally clicked. "Connor? What's wrong?"

"Zoey. She's been missing for about three days now."

Dean shot him a questioning look but Sam held his hand up. "I'll leave right now. Are you going to be at the house?"

"If I'm not at the apothecary, yes. Thank you, Sam."

"What's going on?" Dean asked as Sam clicked the end button on his phone and started back toward his bedroom.

"Zoey's missing." Sam called, throwing clothes in his bag. "I'm leaving, Dean."

"Hold on." Dean blocked his way to the front door. "She dumped you."

"Yeah, so?" Sam sighed. "Look Dean, I love her, okay, and if she's in trouble, I'm not just going to sit on my ass. I'll call you when I get there."

"Don't do anything stupid, Sam." Dean yelled as Sam got into his Charger and drove off.

After buying a half dozen doughnuts and another cup of coffee, Sam set out on the fifteen hundred mile, twenty-five hour drive. He had no plans to stop and sleep until he saw Salem's lights. However, exhaustion kicked in sixteen hours later and he pulled over in Pennsylvania, sleeping in the car. A knock on the window startled him awake a few hours later and he saw a cop peering in. He groaned, but rolled down the window. "Everything alright, son?" The cop asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I was about to fall asleep at the wheel and I didn't want to cause a wreck, so I pulled over." Sam apologized as his stomach growled.

"Thank you for being responsible. I was just making sure you weren't dead." The cop chuckled. "Have a good day, sir."

Sam smiled politely, started the car, and resumed his drive. He'd been asleep for five hours and he frowned. If Zoey was kidnapped, he'd tear Salem apart looking for her, even though they parted on bad terms. Finally, six hours later, he slowed down as he came into Salem city limits. He turned off the main highway and headed to the large, castle-like Victorian house overlooking the city, pulling into the winding driveway behind her emerald green Corvette. "I keep forgetting you just can't poof and be here." Connor joked. "I'm glad you're finally here."

"Yeah." Sam shook the blind wizard's hand. "So, what exactly is going on?"

"I wish I could tell you more, but Nicole's inside. She's left the store exactly the way she found it."

Sam swung open the door, letting Connor use his elbow to guide him inside. "Hey, Nicole." Sam greeted Zoey's best girlfriend as Connor shut the door with his foot.

"Don't you even talk to me, Sam Winchester." The plump brunette witch snarled. "What the hell did you call him for, Connor?"

"Because, unlike you and my sister, I don't think Sam would have said those horrible things to her. He's here, isn't he? If he really wanted her to leave, he would've told me he was busy or something." Connor stated simply.

"Whoa, what did I or whoever it was, tell Zoey?" Sam asked, sitting down on the couch. "Look, Nicole, I swear I would have never made her leave. I love Zoey."

Nicole narrowed her eyes at him. "Sure."

"Apparently, after she told you she was a witch, you were kind of standoffish for a few days." Sam nodded sheepishly, about to speak in his defense, but Connor continued. "So, when you guys got back to the hotel, she asked you if you had a problem with it and you blew up in her face and said if you'd known what she was, you would've killed her, not screwed her."

"Got anything to say to that, you dumb moose?"

"Actually, yes. I was standoffish after I found out, but every single witch Dean and I ever ran across was evil, case in point: Alexander Bloodworth. However, I did a little research to, er, make sure she was lying to me about being born that way and I found out she wasn't. So, I apologized to her. Zoey's one of the sweetest women I've ever met, witch or not, and she's put up with a lot from me."

"He's not lying, Nicole. Give it up." Connor warned. "Now, let him go look at the store. He's a hunter. Maybe we missed something."

Nicole grudgingly held out her key to Sam. "Lock up when you're done."

"Of course." The apothecary was Zoey's way of connecting to her mom and Sam wouldn't mess that up for anything.

The smell of sulfur was strong enough to make Sam gag when he unlocked the door and stepped inside. Scorch marks and water damage to some of the inventory suggested to Sam that a fight ensued and the small blood pools indicated an injury. The air was still charged with magic, making the hair on his arms prickle; Zoey and another equally powerful witch or wizard was here. The only thing that didn't make sense to Sam was the sulfur. A mere demon, no matter how powerful, couldn't catch the weakest witch unaware. He frowned, surveying the store. Something was wrong but he couldn't figure out what it was. He needed help, and he knew just who to ask.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Zoey groaned, coming to as the sunlight streamed in the dirty building. She glanced around, wondering why she felt so weak until she looked up and her heart sank. There above her, was a witch's trap. She recognized the building as the old Abernathy warehouse right outside of Salem. How ironic that her family had built the very structure she was fated to die in. "Zoey, darling, I'm so relieved to see our little fight didn't kill you." Lukas Gregory, an ex-boyfriend of hers said cheerfully as he pulled up a chair just outside of the trap. "Now, sweetheart, you only have twenty-two hours left, unless we come to an agreement."

"What do you want, Lukas?" She asked wearily, sitting down across from him.

"You." He said simply. "I knew, as soon as I heard Crowley saying to your brother that the hunter was going to propose to you, I had to do something."

She frowned. "Get to the point."

"You're a witch, Zoey! You deserve better than the brainless human who kick started the Apocalypse. So, I intervened and made you come to your senses, sending you back to me. I knew though, that-"

"What did you do to Sam?" She hissed, knowing the trap was the only thing keeping him alive right that minute.

"Just a simple little mind-control spell, nothing major. Your precious hunter is alive, at least for now. I just made him say the things he was thinking."

"You bastard! I broke up with Sam for nothing?"

"SHUT UP!" He roared and suddenly, Zoey couldn't speak. "Thank you. Here are my terms. Agree to marry me and I'll let you out. Don't and I either leave you in here or kill you, whichever I decide will be more fun."

He snapped his fingers and she got her voice back. "Lukas, what did you do to yourself?" She asked, not wanting to know the answer. "You took me down and I'm way more powerful than you are."

"Than I used to be, sweetie." He grinned and his eyes flashed black. "It's incredible the power you get when you allow a demon to possess you."

"That was extremely stupid, even for you."

Lukas clenched his fist, glaring at her, and her wrist bone snapped. She screamed, fighting back tears at the sudden pain. "Watch your tongue, bitch." He startled her by laughing all of the sudden. "So, what's your answer?"

"Go to hell." She spat, holding her broken wrist.

"You're not going to get out of here alive, so I suggest you change your tune, Bloodworth." He started to walk away.

"You'll still let me out if I say yes, right?" She called after him, desperate for her powers.

"Not anymore. You'll die either way." He slammed the door to the warehouse, leaving her alone.

Zoey wiped the tears away. She couldn't let him get to her, no matter what. The hope that somehow Sam and Dean knew she was in trouble and would come find her, but it had been over a year and, after the first two weeks of Sam calling every day, he'd suddenly stopped. She'd broken his heart; why would he come after her now? "I guess I deserve this, huh?" She spoke to no one in particular.

Complicated angel and demon proofing covered the old walls, preventing her from calling out to any of her friends. Her cellphone was in her bedroom at home, further isolating her. She had to laugh at the absurdity of catching her without the phone, as normally it stayed in her pocket.

Zoey began to grow weaker and, though she fought the urge to fall asleep, her eyes closed of their own accord. _She was running toward Sam, but he kept getting further away instead of closer. Lukas cackled and chains stopped her mid-step. Sam turned around and called, "You're in this on your own."_

She woke, her heart pounding. Zoey realized she had no right to hope for Sam or Dean to come, not after leaving him like that. She, for once in her life, was all alone and completely powerless. The seconds in isolation dragged by, turning into minutes, turning into hours. Suddenly, the door creaked open and Zoey wished Lukas would just kill her and get it over with. But, the footsteps drawing nearer were heavier than his and the voice- Sam's voice. Zoey stared hard at her ex-boyfriend. "Go away." She told the hallucination. "This isn't funny."

The hallucination knelt down beside her. God, her mind even made it smell like him. "Zoey, I'm not leaving without you."

"You're not really here." She argued, sticking her tongue out at it.

It sighed. "Yes I am."

She opened her mouth to retort, but her vision blurred and the world went black.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"I just need to know where she's at, Crowley." Sam pleaded with the King of Hell, to the surprise of Connor and Nicole. "Please."

"There's an abandoned warehouse outside of town, owned by her mother's family. I'd check there because the place has been warded against angels and demons." Crowley finally replied. "Make sure Kitten's alright, Moose." Then, he disappeared.

Sam brushed past Nicole, going out the front door. He began to go through his weapons, bringing what he thought he could use. "Sam! What are you doing?" Connor called from the porch.

"I'm not just going to sit around and wait for you two to figure out who took her. Zoey could be hurt and I'm going to get her back."

"If you leave before we know who did this, you're risking your life! Zoey's already been miserable enough with you two breaking up. I can't handle her if you were dead!"

"If I wait here, you may not have to worry about handling your sister ever again!" Sam slammed the trunk. "Dammit, Connor, I don't care if I die, as long as Zoey's fine."

"This suicidal attitude has gotten you into trouble before, Sam Winchester."

"Oh well." Sam drove off, heading toward the abandoned warehouse.

He parked the Charger almost right in front of the door, grabbed his bag, and carefully opened the door to the warehouse.

It was filthy inside and, in the dead center of the floor, he saw Zoey sitting up. She turned toward him, but instead of being happy, she frowned. "Go away. This isn't funny."

He dropped his bag and rushed over to her. She was dirty and pale, her freckles standing out against her skin. "Zoey, I'm not leaving without you."

"You're not really here." She stuck her tongue out at him.

He realized she thought he was a hallucination. "Yes, I am." He said, sighing. All of the sudden, she fell backward, unconscious. "Shit!" He muttered, running back to his bag.

He yanked a can of spray paint and proceeded to nullify the warding symbols. He glanced back toward her, still sprawled out. Then, his eyes looked up and he saw the witch's trap. Now, everything made sense, but he knew he couldn't break it by himself. As he was crossing the last angel ward out, the warehouse door blew open. "I should have known." A male voice muttered darkly and Sam flew backwards into an old shelf. "Little Sammy Winchester, coming to rescue the damsel in distress."

Sam groaned, pulling himself up. "Who the hell are you?"

"You don't know?" He asked in mock surprise. "Lukas Gregory, Zoey's fiancé."

"Yeah right." Sam snorted.

He gasped suddenly as invisible hands tightened around his throat. "You Winchesters are notoriously smart-mouthed. I'd keep an eye on your tongue if I were you."

Sam's lip curled in disgust. "If I could do that, I wouldn't be a Winchester." He choked out.

Right as he blacked out from lack of oxygen, he was released. Gabriel stood behind the wizard. "Get her." He commanded and Sam was actually afraid of the angel, scrambling to his feet and picking Zoey up off the floor.

"No!" Lukas screamed as the building started to shake and the ceiling cracked down the middle, effectively breaking the trap. "She's mine!"

"RUN!" Gabriel yelled.

The warehouse came tumbling down; Sam barely escaped, but the doorframe caught Lukas, pinning him in the doorway. There was a bright light and Sam shielded his eyes. When it disappeared, Gabriel was stepping over the wizard's body as blood poured out onto the ground. "Why are you still here, Winchester? Get her to her house."

Sam nodded, placed her gently in the backseat, and raced to the house. As soon as he turned the car off, Connor and Nicole were outside. "Sam, is she-" Connor couldn't bring himself to say the word.

"I don't think so." Sam reassured not only the younger man, but also himself. The trio went inside and Sam laid her on the couch. "Nicole, will you get me a cloth and a bowl of warm water? I'm going to try and get some of this dirt off her."

Surprisingly, Nicole didn't argue and she came back with them rather quickly, sitting down on the chair, while Connor sat down at her feet. A long, shallow cut ran from the side of her left eye down to her cheek and as Sam lightly washed the area, Zoey flinched away from the cloth. "Sweetheart, it's alright. It's just me." Sam said soothingly.

She calmed down, still unwilling to wake up. "What happened?" Connor asked, but then, Sam noticed her right wrist at an odd angle.

"Nicole, is there a wrist brace here?"

"Yeah, hang on." She ran off, coming back with a black brace. "Oh god, Sam, that's broken."

"Yeah, I know." He slipped the brace on her, barely moving the hand until he fastened it.

Zoey screamed, sitting straight up, tears streaming down her face. Her lackluster green eyes focused on Sam and Sam alone. "Bastard." She hissed, holding her broken wrist. "That hurt."

"I know." Sam gave her an apologetic smile. "But, it'll heal properly now. The bone's lined up."

She glared at him. "Good. You're real which means I can-" Her voice faltered and she started sobbing, her head buried on his shoulder.

"Hey, you're okay." He ran a hand through her dirty, tangled copper hair. "Do you want to go take a shower?" He asked quietly.

She nodded and he cradled her to his chest, climbing the stairs to her large bedroom. "Why'd you come back?"

"You were in trouble." He said simply.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: July 20, 2011**

Zoey and Sam walked around her estate, neither talking. Sam's hand dangled close to hers but she didn't grab it. She risked a glance at the giant of a man, 6'4" to her 5'0". His brown hair had gotten longer and it fell in his face as he stared at the ground. "Sam?" She said tentatively.

His hazel eyes met hers. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry." She finally said. "For everything. Lukas took control of your mind and made you say those horrid things to me to get us to break up. I should've known you wouldn't do that."

"Yeah, well, I shouldn't have freaked when you told me you were a witch." He reached over and his hand enveloped hers. "You don't have to apologize, Zoey."

"Thanks for saving my sorry ass."

He chuckled. "You need to thank Gabriel. He did most of the work."

"Will do. I'll make him my special chocolate balls for a reward." She tugged her hand out of his and hugged him tightly. "I missed you, Sam."

He kissed the top of her head. "I missed you too, Zoey."

She looked up at him. "Do you think, maybe, we could get back together?"

"I think we should probably have a long talk before we do." His answer, although not totally surprising, scared her a bit.

They walked back inside, to the large library. Zoey curled up in the oversized chair across from the chaise lounge Sam was sitting on. She bit her lip, wondering when he was going to start talking. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. "I just really want to know one thing. When I said that stuff, why were you so ready to believe I meant it?"

She looked down, twirling her thumbs. "Because, Sam, you were the first mortal I'd ever dated. I thought, after you saw how twisted my dad was, that you thought I'd turn into him one day, and I was dreadfully insecure you'd decide a witch wasn't good enough for you."

He started laughing. "Seriously? Come on, Zoey, surely you didn't think that. I didn't even deserve you, to be honest. When we first met, I was screwed to hell. I was Lucifer's vessel, complete with the demon blood. Dean and I were a million miles apart, and I went to hell and came back soulless." He turned serious, facing her. "But you, you fixed me. You cured my addiction, helped Dean and I to the point where we're closer than we've ever been, and you helped Death get my soul back. Zoey, you redeemed me."

She smiled. "Well, what now?"

"It's up to you." He said. "If you want to just leave it alone, I'll respect your decision."

Zoey frowned at Sam. Did he honestly think she wanted to go their separate ways after he came all the way to Salem to rescue her, even after she broke up with him? She saw it now plainly: this was the man she was supposed to be with. Instead of answering him, she crossed over to the chaise lounge and kissed him soundly. Even though he'd been out of practice for over a year, he instantly pulled her onto his lap, tangling his hands in her thick, copper hair.

She pulled back, a smile playing at her lips. "Now, now, Sam, we just got back together. Let's play it cool for a while."

He smirked. "I can outlast you, Zoey, remember?"

_Eight months into their relationship and they still hadn't had sex. Sam seemed okay with this, but Zoey wanted all of him. So, she put a plan into effect to seduce Sam Winchester. First, it was walking past him while wearing nothing but a towel. This piqued his interest, but he seemed to know what she was doing and an unspoken bet started. It wasn't until their first year anniversary that he finally gave in and made love to her._

She grinned at the memory. "Touché."

"I guess I should check in with Dean." He said, reluctantly pushing her off his lap.

"Not yet. I'll go pack a couple of bags and go to the bunker with you. I, uh, should apologize to him, too."

Sam nodded. "Yeah. He's a little pissed at you."

She ran up to her brother's room, knocking on the door. "Connor, I'm going to Kansas with Sam. Think you and Nicole can manage the store?"

He finally opened it, his hair messed up and his pants unbuttoned, breathing hard. "Yeah, that'll be fine."

"Agreed! Mind if I stay here while you're gone?" Nicole's cheery voice sounded from inside.

Zoey smirked, knowing those two were dating. "Of course not. Keep Connor out of trouble, okay, Nic?"

"No problem, Z!"

Connor shut the door, presumably picking up where they'd left off when she interrupted them. It didn't take her long to pack a bag and she brought it down to the kitchen, where Gabriel was sampling her candy jar. "-her back, do not lose her, Sammy." The archangel warned, popping a mini Snickers bar in his mouth.

"I'm not planning on it."

"Gabriel!" Zoey snickered when the angel jumped a foot in the air. "Aren't you supposed to ask before you steal people's candy?"

"I'm an angel. I do not steal." He said, offended. "And, if I remember, this candy jar is for me."

"Thanks." She hugged him.

"No problem, Glenda." He dubbed her that after the good witch of the north in her favorite movie, _The Wizard of Oz_. "I'll see you two lovers later."

He disappeared and she turned to Sam. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah."

She climbed in the passenger seat of his Charger, finding a letter addressed to her. She quickly checked for him; he was re-packing his bag, still inside. She opened it carefully and began to read.

_Zoey, darling, please, if Dean calls you, don't think it was your fault because it's not. I just can't handle this life anymore. The person I see in the mirror isn't someone I like and I'm tired. I'm tired of letting everyone I love down, but my greatest sin? That was not going after you the minute I realized you were gone. I'm sorry. I love you more than anything, and I wish you the best. Love always,_

_Samuel Tristan Winchester_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: December 24, 2011**

Sam rolled out of bed, yawning, and stumbled down to the kitchen, where AC/DC's Highway to Hell was blaring and two voices were singing aloud. He paused at the doorway, watching his brother and his girlfriend rocking out. Dean sang into a metal spoon, and Zoey was playing air guitar, back to back with the older Winchester. The song ended and Zoey frowned at the radio. "Hey, don't hex it." Dean warned. "They've got the best classic rock on there."

She went back to mixing up the pancake batter. "Did you call John and invite him over tonight?"

"Yeah. He said he'd try to make it."

"What about Emily?"

"She'd already sent our gifts. She's not coming."

Sam crept up behind Zoey, about to scare her. "Sam Winchester, if you even think about it, I'll hex you into next year."

He laughed, spinning his girlfriend around and planting a chaste kiss on her lips. "I'll behave."

"You better or I'll take your present back."

"I have you. What else do I need?"

Dean fake gagged beside him. "Dude, not in the kitchen."

"So, there's going to be a family dinner and Em's not coming?" Sam asked, releasing Zoey.

"Nope. I accidentally let slip that Dad was coming."

"Nice going, Dean, although, if they were both here, it'd be hell."

"Connor and Nicole are coming, as well." Zoey informed them. "Which means, Dean, you're getting a whole pie to yourself but the others are for everyone else."

Dean grinned. "God, you're amazing. Can't you make a Zoey clone so I can have one, too?"

"There's only enough room in this world for one of me." She laughed. "Even if I did that, she'd probably like Sam better." Dean grunted in response. "Sam, please go set the table."

Sam obeyed, getting three of everything and placing them on the large table. After he did that, he went back to the kitchen for a cup of coffee, which Zoey handed to him. "Thanks, sweet thing."

After they ate breakfast, they listened to Christmas music while Zoey conjured a tree complete with all the decorations. The angel at the top of the tree looked suspiciously like Castiel, though neither brother pointed that out. Then, all the presents were brought out and placed under there while Zoey hung the stockings. "Jingle Bells, Sammy smells, Zoey's still a witch, I'll get my pie or I might die, Merry Christmas bitch!" Dean sang cheerfully, jingling his keys. "I'll be back, you two!"

Zoey fell onto the couch in a fit of laughter at his song and Sam joined her, pulling her onto him. When she finally stopped, she kissed him. "You don't smell."

"I hope I don't. I did take a shower last night."

She rolled off him, looking at the tiny wrapped box that had her name on it. "It's so little."

"Yeah." Sam wrapped his arms around her. "Think you might want to open it tonight, when the family gets here?"

"Duh! It was always a family tradition that we open one on Christmas Eve, although Dad wanted us to wait." She smiled at the happy memory.

Sam looked up to see mistletoe appear right above his head and snowflakes fall softly to the ground. "Zoe, you're making it snow."

She kissed him softly, tangling her fingers in his soft hair. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Maybe we should go back to bed." She suggested.

"Good idea." He murmured and they disappeared to his bedroom.

Sam's hair was hopelessly disheveled when Dean rapped on the door and announced that John, Kevin, and Garth were there. He kissed the witch beneath him and began the search for his boxers. Zoey started to do the same, looking for her bra and underwear that had mysteriously disappeared. When they were both dressed, Zoey giggled. "Sam, come here. Let me fix your hair."

He sat down on the messed-up bed beside her as she gently brushed his hair. "Better?" He asked, looking into her emerald green eyes.

"Yup." She brushed hers quickly and pulled it into a ponytail. "Let's go."

"Took you two long enough." Dean teased knowingly. "Come on and save me from Garth, please."

Sam rolled his eyes but followed Dean down the stairs. "SAM!" Garth yelled, giving him a bear hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"You too, Garth." He hugged him back.

Zoey giggled behind him and Garth glanced at her. "You must be Sam's girl. Come on in!" He held his arms open and she complied, giving him a hug. "I'm Garth."

"I'm Zoey."

John stared at her for a few minutes. "Good lord, you look just like your mother." He said softly.

Zoey flushed. "So I've been told."

"Wait. You knew her parents?" Sam asked, confused.

"Alice Abernathy grew up next door to me." John explained, but before he could go into further detail, everyone began to bring up their favorite Christmas memories.

Sam's mind kept straying to the little ring under the tree. He was getting nervous, but logically, he had nothing to worry about. As soon as Connor and Nicole arrived, Sam cleared his throat and held out the box to Zoey. "Open it, please."

She did without hesitation. "Sam!" She gasped when she opened it, her emerald eyes filling up with tears.

He took the ring out of the box. The black silver ring with a princess cut diamond on top looked so small in his palm. He then got down on one knee in front of her. "Zoey Lynn Bloodworth, I-" He choked on the words he wanted so badly to say. "Will you marry me?"

"Hells yes!" She tackled him to the floor and the ring flew out of his hand, kissing him hard.

"Zoe, baby, let me put the ring on." He chuckled, pushing her off him.

She sat back on her heels impatiently. Sam carefully slipped the ring on her finger, watching her eyes light up. And, as he noticed their family, with the exception of his sister, he knew that at her side was where he belonged.


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n: I didn't even realize I'd uploaded chapter seven twice, but thankfully, I caught it! and thanks to all you who've favorited or followed this story :) and, as always, reviews are awesome! :)**

**Chapter Eight: October 13, 2012**

Zoey stared at her reflection. Her thick, coppery hair was tangled and frizzy; her eyes tired. She sighed. Her poor best friend had a lot to do before she got married that day. Her eyes snapped open and pure joy flooded her system. I'm getting married today, she thought excitedly, and ran down the stairs to greet her maid of honor, Nicole. "Good morning!"

Nicole smiled, holding her makeup bag and a present. "Good morning!" The two embraced. "Connor's on his way with John and Kevin."

"Awesome." She grinned. "Well, let's go make me hot, huh?"

"You're already hot." Nicole chided, walking her back up to her bedroom. "We have four hours to get both of us ready."

Zoey opened her closet and gently laid her wedding dress on the bed. The beautiful lace gown was her mother's, and even though she'd had to have it altered to fit her petite frame, it looked stunning on her. "I already got my something old and something new." She pointed to the black lace stilettos. "Now I need something borrowed and something blue."

"I got you covered, sweetie. Now, sit down so I can do something with your hair." Nicole frowned in the mirror over Zoey's head. "Your hair is ridiculously thick and long."

"You're a witch, honey." Zoey reminded her. "Not to mention New England's best cosmetologist."

"Oh, I know." Nicole grinned. "Let me work my magic and Sam Winchester's going to be drooling when you're walking down the aisle."

It took an hour and a half for Nicole to fix her hair and, before she could protest, her friend started on her makeup. Finally, thirty minutes later, Zoey was able to slip into her wedding dress. Nicole helped her with the buttons on the strapless, corset top, A-line gown. When she finally looked at herself in the full-length mirror on her closet door, Zoey's mouth fell open. Her hair was slightly curly, pulled half-up and fell elegantly to her waist. Her make-up highlighted her eyes with a simple, sophisticated cat-eye and bold red lips. "Wow! Nic, you're amazing!"

"You're absolutely gorgeous. I just played it up." Nicole finished her up-do to put on her scarlet dress.

"Are you girls dressed?" John's baritone voice came through the door.

"Come in!" Zoey called, sliding her feet into her heels. "God, I'm smoking!"

"Not without this." John handed her a simple but elegant veil and tiara. "This was Mary's when she and I got married. I think she would've liked you."

"John!" Zoey threw her arms around him. "Thank you!"

Connor cleared his throat. "One last thing, sis." He held out a box. "Dean helped me pick it out."

"Oh, lord." She chuckled and opened the box. Inside lay a single, blue rose. She hugged her little brother tightly. "Thank you, Connor."

He patted her on the back. "Finish getting ready, okay?"

She tucked the rose in the middle of her red and black rose bouquet and reached for the black lace garter, sliding up to the middle of her thigh. "You two look so handsome!"

"I can't let you look better than everyone else, especially since I'm giving you away." Connor joked.

They arrived at the church fifteen minutes early and Zoey smoothed the front of her dress. She was extremely nervous, but, as she waited in the foyer for The Wedding March to start, a pretty brunette crept in. Her hazel eyes scanned the place, landing on Zoey. "You must be Zoey." She held her hand out. "I'm Emily Winchester."

"Oh! I wondered if you'd gotten the invitation." She hugged the woman. "I've heard so much about you."

"Same here." She smiled, relaxing. "I'm going to go grab a seat, but congratulations. My brother's an amazing man and I'm glad he's found someone who makes him happy."

She disappeared through the doors and Zoey smiled as Connor took her arm. The inside of Immaculate Conception Parish had been transformed, mostly due to the ingenuity of the two witches, and she kissed her brother on the cheek. "I love you, Connor. You're the best brother I could've asked for."

"Same here." He grinned as the song started playing. "Well, come on. If he has to wait much longer, he might pass out."

She giggled and adjusted her veil. Sam's face lit up when he saw her, his mouth dropped open. There for a minute, it seemed as if she and Sam were the only two people in the world. Gabriel, standing as minister, and Dean, couldn't take their eyes off her either, and when she finally reached Sam, she gently tapped his jaw to get him to close his mouth. Connor placed her hand in Sam's. "Take care of her, Sam, and make her happy." Then, the two men shared a tight hug and Connor sat down.

Sam lifted her veil and the ceremony began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining in holy matrimony of this couple. If anyone has a reason they should not be wed, speak now or forever hold thy peace." Gabriel spoke with the authority only an archangel has. "So let it be." He took a deep breath. "Now, I've known these two since they were born, and let me tell you, they're two of the most stubborn humans God made, save for Dean-o here. However, their love for one another is one of the purest loves I've ever seen, and I'm proud to be the one who gets to marry them." Gabriel smiled at them.

Sam smiled at Zoey, her hand in his. "Do you, Samuel Tristan Winchester, take this woman, Zoey Lynn Bloodworth, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from the day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Sam squeezed her hand.

Then it was Zoey's turn. "Do you, Zoey Lynn Bloodworth, take this man, Samuel Tristan Winchester, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from the day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Zoey smiled at Sam.

"Then, by the power vested in me by, um, God, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Zoey didn't wait for Gabriel to say 'you may now kiss the bride'. She pulled Sam down to her level and kissed him hard. "So, where's the honeymoon?"

"Europe." Sam whispered in her ear before kissing her back.


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Gabriel flew back to Heaven, where Lucifer was healing from being in the cage so long. "Castiel! Did you get the names?" He asked his little brother excitedly.

Gabriel had started Mission: Winchester Love, getting Sam and Zoey back together, and so far, it was a success. However, he had two more to go: Dean and Emily, both of which weren't as romantic as Sam. For Dean's he'd enlisted the help of his guardian angel, who sneaked into Cupid's workspace and found the names of their soul mates. "Yes, Gabriel, I did. Any ideas on how we're going to get them two together?"

"Leave it to me, brother." Gabriel looked at the name beside Dean's. "She's a feisty one, that's for sure, but don't worry. All we have to do is wait for an opportunity and take advantage of it."

"Dean doesn't believe in love."

"Not yet." Gabriel smirked cockily. "But he will."

Castiel sighed, plopping down on a bench. "Maybe we shouldn't meddle."

"Meddling is what we do best! You said yourself you wanted Dean to find her already. We're just helping him." Gabriel pointed at the healing archangel. "Like we helped Lucifer when we found out he and Michael busted out."

"If we can't find Michael soon, I'm afraid he's going to die."

Gabriel shook his head. "Mike can take care of himself. He's probably resting somewhere safe right now. So, quit worrying about angels and keep an eye out for the perfect opportunity to introduce Dean to her!"

Castiel nodded, watching his human carefully. "Do you think this will work?"

"Of course it will. Everyone needs a lesson in love, especially Dean Winchester."


End file.
